Brandy Shrub

Not at all like a shrub in the modern sense (a sweet fruit vinegar to be mixed with soda water for a soft drink or with a spirit for a cocktail), this is nevertheless both fruity and fun. It is related to seventeenth- and eighteenth-century British shrubs, which were made of brandy or rum, citrus, and sugar, and it can be drunk neat by the hardcore, or used as a mixer with soda water, lemonade, or hot water to make a basic punch or cup. This version comes from Henry Craddock’s